Chapter 32: Reluctant Sleepover, Pt. 2
Asuka waited and waited and still didn't hear anything after the bathroom door opened. Feeling frustrated, she tried to figure out what to do.
'I got to know who this guy is,' she thought slowly opening her door. 'Makes me uncomfortable that he is this stealthy and the possibility that his doing it with Wondergirl.'
Coming up with a plan, she opened up her door and slowly made her way to the bathroom. The closer that she got, she could see that the mystery person was already in the futon.
'Damn…he's freaking quiet,' Asuka thought looking back at the bathroom light. Turning it on, part of the living room became clearer to see. Standing in the door frame, the person's face was turned the other way and the cover was up to his chin.
'I can't see his face,' she thought. Standing on her tippy toes, it didn't give her more of a view of the individual. Going back down, she entered the bathroom and closed the door. Heading towards the toilet, she sat down and thought of what to do next.
'Your girl was looking over here,' Shino said from the couch.
'Yeah…so?' the crazy voice stated from the couch as well. Looking at the floor, the child voice's nose was still bleeding with a red face.
"…" Shinji said with his eyes closed and trying to sleep.
He felt a presence nearby on the ground. Opening his eyes and looking up, the red-blue eye voice was lying down under the armrest and staring at him. He just smiled. Looking back to the wall, he closed his eyes again.
Rei was in her bed and stared at the bland ceiling. She didn't hear the bathroom door open after she entered her room. Wondering if the Third Child was doing something else, she heard no footsteps. Telling herself to ignore him, she tried to get some sleep. Despite closing her eyes, something nagged her.
'…' she thought opening her eyes in irritation. Getting up and moving to her door, she opened it a little. Seeing the futon, she opened her door a little more. He was in the futon and looked like he was sleeping. Despite not seeing his face, she was about to shut her door when a sound was made.
'Pilot Souryu,' Rei stated in her mind. Seeing the Second Child emerge from her room, she walked slowly to the bathroom. Not too sure at what the redhead was doing, the restroom light turned on. Looking through the gap of her door, she saw her stand on her tippy-toes a little looking in Shinji's direction.
'Is she wondering who is sleeping in the futon?' the female pilot pondered.
Not sure what the Second Child was up to, the First Child continued to watch her as she went into the bathroom and close the door. Pondering if the male pilot sleeping in the apartment would cause an issue, she concluded that it wouldn't. Based on the aspect that both she and Asuka had their own rooms, there wouldn't be a problem. Wondering if she should inform the Third Child, the image from the bathroom came up again. Shaking her head, she closed her door and quietly went back to bed.
'Alright,' Asuka thought flushing the toilet and going to the sink.
She washed her hands then looked at herself in the mirror. With a confident smirk, she felt ready. Opening the bathroom door, she peered through and still saw the person looking the other way. Seeing an opening on the right side of the couch, she turned off the bathroom light. She began sneaking around the dining table and toward the space between the TV and couch.
'…?' the voices on the couch said.
Noticing a silhouette coming slowly toward them, they turned their heads to the left. It was the Second Child trying to sneak quietly. The gym shorts that she was wearing were like Misato's hot pants in length. The yellow loose shirt she had was low cut. Reaching the end of the left side of the furniture, she looked down and got on her hands and knees.
'…uhhhh…whoa,' the crazy voice said. Stretching his neck up a little, he could see her breasts show through the shirt opening. His nose started bleeding as he continued to stare.
'…I'll get some blood packs ready for them,' Shoji stated. Getting up and sighing, he saw a pool of blood around both the crazy and child voice.
"…" Shinji said opening his eyes. Hearing the Second Child crawling softly, he narrowed his eyes. Silently and moving at a snail's pace, he shifted to face the other direction. Once completely over and moving the cover to be over his left cheek, Asuka peered around the right armrest.
'What the?' she said seeing the guy had turned the other way. 'When did he do that? I didn't even hear him move. Freaking ninja!'
Not deterred, she continued crawling as quietly as possible toward the futon. Reaching it, she saw the back of the person's head, but majority of it was underneath the cover. Feeling like she was limited on what she could do, she was still determined to find out who this person was. Curling her lips inward and supporting her weight on her right hand, she slowly reached her left hand toward his shoulder.
When Rei heard the bathroom door open again, she ignored it and continued to stay in her bed. Finding ways to distract herself and calm her nerves down, she was about to relax.
"…" she said. The nagging feeling was still there. The more she ignored it, the sensation seemed to increase. Turning to a side, she tried to empty her mind and sleep.
'Leave me alone gentlemen,' Shinji thought clenching his hands into fists.
All of them except the child and red-blue eyed voice were on him. One was forcing his head to turn. Another was gripping his left shoulder and slowly pulling it down. The third was controlling his facial muscles and expressions. Last voice, being the crazy one, was residing inside him waiting to take control. Despite wanting to protest, he couldn't resist due to how tired and mentally drained he was. The presence of the Second Child's hand was above his shoulder.
'Now!' the four voices shouted with grins and moved him.
Just as Asuka was about to place her hand on his left shoulder, he suddenly turned toward her. Swearing in her mind, her weight pushed a little forward causing her arm to swing to the left. It caused the cover to be pushed down as he was lying on his back. Quickly planting her hand down to stop her from falling onto the person, she looked down.
'There is nothing going on. Ikari is in the spare futon and is sleeping. Pilot Souryu has returned to her room to go to sleep. Therefore-!' Rei thought then heard fabric move audibly followed by a faint thud.
'That sounded like where Ikari was,' she thought opening her eyes. The impulse was even stronger than before. Not resisting it this time, she quietly moved to the door.
'W-W-What the hell is he doing here?! Asuka stammered in her mind as she froze in place.
Seeing him in more detail being this close, he was still sleeping. The cover was pushed down revealing the loose tank top that he was wearing. The straps were off his shoulders a little which exposed his athletic chest. Looking at his sleeping face, it looked more attractive since it was relax. His mouth had parted a little and she could feel him breathing softly.
'…' the red head stated. Not moving, she continued to stare. Blinking, she kept looking at his lips. For some reason, they seemed enticing.
'…' she thought feeling herself bite the inside of her lip a little. '…well…he must be exhausted from his event thing.'
'DOO-IT! DOO-IT! DOO-IT!' the voices that were still controlling Shinji's movements chanted in his head over and over again.
'If he hasn't awoken yet…then…then…,' Asuka thought shifting her weight to her left hand. Moving a lock of hair over her right ear, she descended slowly to his face.
Rei got to her door and quietly opened it ajar. Seeing down the living room, Asuka's door was open. Opening it a little more, she peered at the futon and felt her eyes widen. Feeling as if her vision improved a little, the Second Child's face was slowly descending onto the Third Child's face. Asuka's chest was exposed as her shirt opening had drooped lower. Recalling Misato saying that Shinji had some type of phobia of women, stopping the Second Child for her safety was one reason. However, there was an impulse that was stronger, emotional, and sharp.
'What is Pilot Souryu doing?' Rei asked watching the female pilot get closer. It made her clench her teeth.
'…this sensation…it burns…' she thought.
Her face got tense and a scowl formed. The emotion she was feeling was stronger than the boil over frustration from before. Her chest started to get tight as her mind started to feel a type of anger wash over. Overcome with the sensation, she opened her door loudly from an impulse.
An inch or two away from his face, Asuka and the voices heard the door nearby open loudly. Blinking and looking at where she was, the Second Child's face became red. It took her much willpower and strength to back away quietly and quickly without making a sound. Crawling backwards and watching the First Child's door, she rolled over to be hidden by the couch.
'God damn it!' Asuka berated herself as she laid flat alongside the front of the couch. 'What the hell was I about to do!? Me, Asuka Langely Souryu, the ace pilot of Eva-02, about to steal a kiss from the slumbering psycho idiot.'
'Not only that,' the female pilot clenched her hands on her head wanting to disappear. 'Wondergirl probably saw me. Damn it! My reputation will falter if she tries blackmailing me! It's okay…I'll just need to find dirt on them so we are even.'
Slowly crawling out of her room, the First Child looked at the space where the Second Child was. The scowl was still on her face thinking about the action the female pilot was about to do. Contemplating why such a strong emotional reaction occurred, her head started to hurt. The persistent sensation and the questions that kept occurring in her head made her more than irritated. Looking towards the male pilot, she quietly crawled towards him.
Getting next to him, she sat on her knees and stared at him sleeping. Part of her irritation and anger started to go away. Just looking with her eyes at the possible place the Second Child was hiding, Rei's eyes narrowed. Looking back at the Third Child, she saw that he was still sleeping on his back with his chest exposed. Shaking her head a little, the tidal wave of emotions and sensations was still there. To stop it, she needed to be distracted.
"Ikari," Ayanami called quietly.
'He is still sleeping?' Asuka thought slowly and quietly moving to where the left armrest was on the couch.
"…" the First Child said blinking as he kept sleeping. "Ikari."
"…" the male pilot said. Most of the voices were on him and preventing him from moving or opening his eyes. Only the red-blue voice was missing.
'If he was sleeping like a log, I don't have to worry about him knowing what almost happened,' Asuka thought crouching under the armrest and listening.
"…" Rei said narrowing her eyes from still feeling her mind racing. Going with an impulsive response, she placed a hand on his chest were his heart would be. "Ikari…please wake up."
'Hey,' Shino stated with a grin looking at the others. 'Let's make him be sleeping beauty.'
'…wwwwhhhhyyy…t-t-t-t-t-t-tttttttttttttttthat sounds…L…O…V…E…L…Y…MY SEEDS!' the evil voice stated then shouted the last part next to them. All of them froze and looked around with their eyes. No one was around them.
'…?' Rei thought blinking in surprise and confusion. She retracted her hand slowly.
'…WhAt'S wRoNg…cat-cAt-CaT-CAT GOYOURTONGUES!' it stated in distortion. The booming sound caused the voices to look around frantically. They still couldn't locate where the voice was speaking from. It suddenly changed its voice to sound like a seductive woman.
'Mmm…let me help you pull it out!' it said slowly descending from the ceiling.
'…?' the First Child pondered. Retracting her hand, she turned it to look at her palm
'I felt…'
'sssssshhhhhhoooooooooooowwwwwweeeeerrrrr mmmmmmeeeee,' the demonic voice said in slow motion. It caused its vile voice to drop in pitch until it changed. All of them looked up and froze with fear. What they saw raged at them with ear bleeding loudness.
'SHOWERMEWITHMYUTOPIA!'it said causing all the voices present imploded with blood bursting pops.
'…several heartbeats,' Ayanami said. Blinking, she looked back at where she placed her hand. Her eyes widen to see Shinji awake. His eyes slowly moved to where she was.
"…" the male pilot said.
Everything around him was covered in blood and insides of the other voices. The First Child was splashed heavily from the slaughter. Her crimson eyes blended well with the gore. He didn't see the evil voice but heard him give a demented chuckle. It was cut off with a grotesque series of snaps of cartilage and bone. Blinking, all the bloodshed was gone and a sense of relief washed over him.
"Miss Ayanami?" he said quietly and saw her blink. "Is something wrong?"
"…" Rei stated.
Feeling her head swimming, she couldn't organize any of her thoughts, questions, and sensations. Looking at how things were, she wouldn't get any sleep if she went back to her room. The questions she had would remain unanswered. Also, she didn't want the Second Child to get that close again.
"Ikari…I will be sleeping next to you," she stated flatly.
'What?' Asuka thought her ears picking up.
"May I ask why?" Shinji ask impassively.
"I have accrued new questions that I want to talk about."
'Questions?' the Second Child thought. She still believed that the female pilot was going to be doing something else than just asking questions.
"Is now the best time to do so when you and Miss Souryu have the operation tomorrow?"
"Yes," Rei said without hesitation looking directly at him.
"…" he said turning back to the ceiling. Strangely, the voices were not present.
"Very well."
'He agreed…but he doesn't sound interested at all,' Asuka thought peering around the corner of the couch.
Seeing how Rei was sitting on her knees next to his head, it made the red head think back to the adult activity. If she spread her legs, everything would be exposed for the male pilot to see. However, he was facing the ceiling.
'Let's see Mr. "No emotion and afraid of living with women" tough out with little miss doll,' the red head thought seeing the First Child start to get into the futon.
Seeing Shinji scoot over, Rei entered in futon. Bring the cover up to their necks, both started at the ceiling. She could feel that if she stuck her hand out to her right, she would be able to touch him. Halting on that thought, she pondered a little of which question to ask. Giving that both were lying next to each other, it brought up one.
"I've been having this feeling ever since my training with Pilot Souryu began. It doesn't occur all the time, only in the times that we sleep near each other."
"What does the feeling tell you to do?"
"It tells me to get close to her."
'EEHHHH!?' Asuka felt her mouth open in surprise.
"Can you elaborate on 'close'?"
"..." Ayanami replied and pondered a few moments. "Physical contact."
'…what?' the redhead thought feeling her eyes widen.
"Do you mean as in hugging someone?" he asked.
"I believe that is the action the feeling wants me to take."
"Is this an intimate feeling?" Shinji asked stoically. It caused the Second Child to retract back to being behind the couch and hold her head.
'Physical contact…but that means…she's a lesbian! She has wanted to get that close to me since we started living together?' Asuka thought then contemplated. She shook her head vigorously.
'No! No way! I don't swing that way. Besides, I have Kaji. He can provide so much more than what she can offer!' she stated to herself and felt firm about.
"…" Rei said and thought about it. It put a sour taste in her mouth thinking about the other female pilot intimately.
"No," she responded coldly and quietly.
"…" the male pilot said.
He felt odd that the voices were still nowhere to be seen or heard. Feeling a finger tap his head, he looked with his eyes to the left and up. The red-blue eye voice was hanging over the right side of the couch covered with a thick layer of carnage from the body explosions. Despite all the bloodshed on it, the voice was smiling while looking at him.
"I see," Shinji said with a blink and nodding at the voice. It nodded back and rested its arms and head on the backrest of the couch.
"If the feeling is not intimate, are you cold Miss Ayanami?"
"…" the First Child stated. Trying to recall when the sensation occurred, she answered.
"I don't believe so. I understand that using body heat between two people is used for survival situations in cold environments. But it isn't that."
"…" Shinji said staring back at the ceiling. "If it is neither of the things mentioned, are you seeking comfort from a fellow pilot?"
'Comfort?' Asuka thought blinking and slowly peering around the couch again. 'Is she scared or something?'
"…" Rei said blinking and staring at the ceiling.
The in depth conversation was helping her to rid of a majority of the questions and make her relax. It reminded her of talking with the Commander which brought her comfort. Strangely though, something was causing a change. From the growing amount of times she spent with the Commander's son, she started to see and feel a small separation between the two. Thinking about what the Third Child said, she couldn't come up with an answer why.
"…I do not know…I am not sure why a feel that urge to," she finally replied.
"Do you feel this way with other individuals?"
"…certain individuals…yes."
"Have you confided with them this feeling to help you understand?"
"I tried talking with the Commander about it…"
'Knew it…she does fancy that old man,' Asuka thought. Smirking, she now had a little dirt ammunition against the First Child.
"…however…he stated that emotions and feelings can misguide me. He told me not to diverge into them despite my curiosity."
"…from my understanding…" he began.
He saw a large piece of carnage roll of the red-blue eye voice's head. It quickly grabbed it and threw it away from them. It made a wet disgusting splat on the wall. Blinking, the voice gave him a piece sign and smile brightly at him. Its actions were very strange from what the others normally did to him.
"…having emotions and feelings is what makes someone human. Being curious is a human trait. Exploring what those things are, to understand and learn from, is human nature. To say if those feelings lead to something good or bad, one explores them to find out. People with similar experiences can help express what happened to them when they explored. From experiencing and being informed, one can use that information to evolve."
"…" Rei said letting the information sink in. It was logical and used the aspect that people shared experiences to help one another.
'That is the most I have ever heard him speak in one sitting. Since when did he start sounding smart?' the Second Child thought.
At the same time, she was thinking about what he said as well. A part of her kind of understood about the First Child meant of wanting comfort from someone. Her reputation as an ace pilot gave her people that appreciated and looked up to her. It provided attention and people to gaze at her ability. Hikari gave her the comfort of someone liking her as a friend. Kaji and Misato were adults that provided some comfort as well; however, she would like the unshaven man to give her more than just comfort.
"Then Ikari," Rei said turning onto her side and looking at his face. "Have you ever been comforted?"
"From what I can recall," Shinji said stoically causing both female pilots to listen. "No."
'…what?' Asuka thought in surprise.
"…" Rei didn't say anything at first.
She felt confused on why he said that despite having the Commander as his father. Knowing that he was abandoned as a child, she couldn't relate to that feeling. Only knowing the Commander as someone that took care of her, she couldn't comprehend what the male pilot was feeling. It made her feel sad for some reason.
"I do not understand," she said quietly.
"Going through life is a mixture of good and bad. People are born in situations that can be favorable or unfavorable when growing up. External factors can occur that can either help or hinder the situation one is born in or growing in. If an external factor creates a situation to be dire, then two things can occur. One is that other external factors can intervene to change the dire situation. The other is that no external factors intervene and you are left to adapt to the situation alone."
"…" both Asuka and Rei said thinking about what he said. Thinking about how each of their pasts seemed to fit with his explanation, both wondered about what his life situation was.
"Ikari…what would you say your situation turned out to be?" the First Child asked feeling the impulse of wanting to get closer.
"…" he said closing his eyes. "I rather not say Miss Ayanami."
"Why?"
"Because I do not want to."
"…was it unfavorable?"
"Developing a mental disorder would be unfavorable in growing up," he said. It gave the red head a sad smirk.
"…" Rei said feeling the impulse get stronger. Her left hand began to reach out a little.
"Have…have you ever comforted someone Ikari?" she asked. The impulse was resonating in her head as she continued to inch her hand closer.
'Whoa-whoa-whoa! That is definitely an invitation flag!' Asuka thought narrowing her eyes at the First Child.
"I have in the past," he said stoically opening his eyes. The second pair of eyes has been staring for a while since Ayanami had entered the futon. Knowing who they were, he didn't say anything.
"Could," Rei asked quietly. Oddly, she felt very nervous as she got her hand next to his arm. "…I ask you…to give me comfort?"
'She said it…what is psycho man going to say? I bet it is going to be like the typical masculine macho response of sex, isn't it? I will see through your character Third. You can't fool me. All that schizo and being afraid of women is all crap. This will be the dirt I have on you,' Asuka thought gripping the couch a little more.
"…" Shinji said looking at the First Child from the corner of his eyes. "What comfort are you seeking?"
"Physical contact," she whispered feeling her chest starting to get tighter.
"…" he stated. About to say no, the voice that was on the couch was suddenly lying on top of him.
'I'll take the sensation away so please agree,' it said with a softer male voice than the others.
'Why?' Shinji thought confused.
'Because you can sleep without having a trigger reaction.'
'Why should I trust you?'
'Because unlike the others, I want to be with you,' it said smiling at him. 'I feel that we are one in the same. Kind of like twins!'
'…' Shinji said feeling perplexed by the oddness of the voice. About to object, the voice vanished.
"…very well," Shinji finally stated after a few moments of not saying anything.
"…!" Rei said feeling the urge hit a peak.
She felt her heart beating a little faster. A different sensation was taking over giving her a sense of relief. It created some warmth inside her as a small smile came on her face. She retracted her hand seeing the Third Child move closer to her. He stopped at the center of the futon and she could feel the heat from his body.
"I am ready," he said quietly staring at the ceiling.
Rei slowly wrapped her arms around his left arm and scooted closer to make contact with it to her body. Adjusting a bit to feel comfortable, she saw that her face was near his. Whispering gratitude, Ayanami felt that her mind was easing. Closing her eyes, she moved her head little bit to feel herself falling asleep.
"…" Asuka said from seeing him move over. He was lying like a statue. Slowly, she saw the blue-haired pilot slowly sort of cuddle on his left side. Frowning, she quietly backed up and headed toward her room.
'Bah! Whatever!' she thought rounding the dining table.
'Not like I care!' she thought bitterly passing the table. 'He probably doesn't give a rat's ass about me anyway.'
'Not at all! Not one freaking bit!' she screamed in her head standing in front of her door.
Her hands were clenched into fists and were shaking. Clenching her teeth together, she recognized the feeling that was going through her. It made her angry that it was a yearning. She told herself that it was a sign of weakness. She closed her eyes and ranted at herself over and over again. The sensation changed into an impulse that made her open her eyes.
'GOD DAMN IT!' she screamed in her mind and turned around.
Not even trying to be quiet, she walked pass the bathroom door and headed to the Third Child's right side. Reaching it, she looked down at him unpleasantly. His eyes moved by themselves slowly to look at her as he remained still. She shook off the murky feeling from it and got to the ground. His eyes followed her still giving a creepy look to them. On her knees, she placed her left hand on the floor next to his face and got in front of his face.
"Greetings Miss Souryu. Can I help you with something?" he whispered with a blink with an impassive face.
"…Listen here Third," Asuka whispered harshly with a grave face. Both their noses were almost touching.
"I am only going to say this once. I am cold. Men are natural furnaces. I am going to sleep next to you to stay warm. You do anything, I will kill you. You say anything about this, I will kill you. Is that clear?"
"…" Shinji said staring into the ocean blue eyes of hers. "Very well."
"Good," she whispered.
Backing away a little, she pulled her side of the covers up and got in. Scooting over and looking sternly at the Third Child, he was staring at the ceiling and blinking. Narrowing her eyes, she got closer. Looking over at the First Child, she was surprised at seeing her sleeping while resting her head on his shoulder.
'If I do this, then I won't have to do it again,' she thought irritated pulling up the cover. Staring hard at him, she started to latch onto his right arm. 'There is nothing…special…about…!?'
Asuka wrapped her left arm loosely around his right arm. Placing her head down on the front of his right shoulder, she placed her right hand on his chest. Lost at how his build felt against her, her right leg rested on top of his right leg.
"Miss Souryu?"
"Anything…idiot…you are dead meat," she whispered sternly back trying hard to mask the blush on her face.
"…I understand," he said narrowing his eyes.
"Good…now…s-shut up and let me sleep," Asuka stated. Feeling very comfortable, she felt herself falling asleep relatively quickly.